Apologies my dear readers for the immensely long wait but this chapter turned into a beast! Three chapters became one and the original plan changed quite a bit. Wrapping my head around what needed to happened and how to make it happen, had me floundering for the longest time. I removed scenes, slotted in new ones and tried to weave it all together to make it as coherent as I could. I'm always cagey about posting chapters containing a lot of Raphael because I'm always worried about how I portrayed him. So, I'm taking a deep breath and finally posting!
Check the end of this chapter for more notes. :)
*MNID*
Raph grunted in frustration as he attempted to mend the holes in the ripped punching bag. Clumsy stitches lined it and the turtle cursed at he caught his finger on the chunky needle for the umpteenth time in so many minutes. The T.V. blared a short distance in front of him, his baby brother, laying on his stomach with his freckled face cupped in his hands watching the current programme as if it was the best thing since sliced pizza.
"Ah! Ow! Darn it!" he hissed louder than he meant to.
"You should totally get D to help you with that Raph," Mikey said over his shoulder. "He has so many awesome tools in his lab."
Raph glared across at the smaller mutant who hadn't even turned around. "I don't think so Mikey," the guy's an absolute train wreck, his mind silently added on.
"Why don't you give Don a break Raph?" Leo's unwelcome voice sounded in his other ear. Raphael scowled. "It's been long enough."
"No offence Leo but stick it, okay?"
His big brother threw him a disapproving glare but thankfully didn't broach the topic any further. His deep blue eyes drifted back to his magazine as he flipped another page staying quiet but clearly not happy.
Raph struggled with a couple more stitches, when he stabbed himself with the needle again. This proved to be too much for the impatient hothead and he threw the defunct punching bag to the floor. "Stupid piece of-!"
"How did you bust the bag up again Raph? Just out of curiosity," Leo said, with irritating smoothness.
"What does it matter Leo?" Raph snapped. "I punched it too hard, that's it! Like you couldn't figure that out for yourself?"
"Yes I did, I was just wondering why you were punching it so hard in the first place."
At first Raph was going to say nothing but when Leonardo seemed to throw him a superior look, he couldn't hold his tongue. "Because this whole stupid place has gone completely, freaking crazy Leo!" he all but shouted. "I mean that nutcase almos-"
'"Hey dudes! It's those Chompers!" Mikey suddenly interrupted, inadvertently putting a stop to Raph's potential blow up.
"What?" Leo was immediately on his feet and standing right behind Michelangelo.
Grumbling inaudibly Raphael stood alongside them and inclined his head. Then he hiked an eye ridge as a familiar face filled the screen. "What the heck is Stockjerk doin' on the TV?"
Mikey shrugged and the group watched as the female reporter fielded questions to the rangy, bespectacled scientist.
"Mr. Stockman I'm sure that you are well aware that your company shares have taken quite a dramatic nose dive in the past nine months, can you tell me why you believe now is a good time to release a brand new product to the market considering those losses?"
"Why yes, of course Jenny. What I learnt over that time is that you get nowhere in this life unless you take risks and I that is exactly what I'm doing now with launching my brand new patented pest control invention the MOUSER-"
"MOUSER?" Mikey echoed. "Huh, I like Chompers better-"
"Mikey shush!" Leo said raising his fingers as he continued to listen to the broadcast, throwing a worried glance over his shoulder.
"What can you tell us about your MOUSERS Mr Stockman?"
"They are on the cutting edge of technology, specially adapted and programmed to seek out and eliminate the pests that as you are well aware are currently plaguing our city."
"Pests yeah right," Raph snorted. "Ya mean us ya li-,"
"Quiet!" Leo snapped agitatedly, flapping his arm in obvious annoyance and once again looking behind them.
"What's gotten up your freakin' shell Leo?"
Looking highly frustrated, Leo glared across at Raph. "Because I'm listening for clues and I'm sure Don knows something-"
"Whaddaya mean he knows something?!" Raph snapped back. The little nerd was in kahoots with that lunatic scientist! He should've known.
"Not like that!" Leo frowned back. "He never said a word but he knows something! As in he might have seen Stockman work on it! Rein in your stupid paranoia for two minutes would you Raph?"
"What's going on out here?" The arguing pair glanced up and Raph glowered as Donatello stood on the steps to his freaky lab, wiping oil from his hands with a rag.
Leo immediately straightened his back and seemed to take an obvious step to the left as if to block the TV screen. "Nothing Don, it's all okay out here-"
"The hell it is," Raph mumbled which made the lanky know it all frown worriedly.
"To fully appreciate the beauty of this robot it is a must to see it action, would you and the viewers at home like to see a demonstration of the MOUSER at work Jenny?"
"Absolutely."
The moment the voice of Stockjerk sounded from the television, Donatello instantly paled. The olive green mutant was down the steps and pushing Leo slightly to the side as his attempts to block the TV failed miserably. A shuddering breath escaped his breast and Raph was sure the kid tried to suppress a shudder, because he saw the faint quake to the tall turtle's frame as he approached the screen behind them. A nagging tick entered the back of his mind but the hothead swiftly swept it away.
All eyes were on the fourth turtle as Jerkman rambled pointlessly on, obviously enjoying the attention as he set up his demonstration. The MOUSER was presented on the screen and as the mad scientist tapped away at a flat screen controller, Donatello suddenly slammed a hand to his mouth, his eyes wide with what looked like shock and total disbelief. Fingers slipped and he finally whimpered, "No."
Leo was instantly beside him, hand on his shoulder. "What is it Don? What's wrong?"
A trembling digit was lifted and pointed at the MOUSER now pelting around a makeshift maze. "Th-that's mine."
Raph's eye ridges shot up and stared at the lanky turtle in shock.
"What d'ya mean bro?" Mikey piped up from the floor.
"That-that robot, that's my invention!"
"WHAT?!"
Donatello flinched at the chorus of exclamations. "I-I designed it," he stammered. "I-I never got a chance to build it."
"D, are you saying that Stockman stole your design?" Leo asked quietly.
The boy nodded. "Yeah, he must have hacked my encrypted files on my personal laptop," a frown creased his features as he watched the MOUSER chomp through a stone wall and devour the rat that had been running the maze. There was a sharp intake of breath and a definite anger seemed to seep through the creaks of his obvious upset. "He changed it, I never designed it for that violence. It was meant to help people!"
"What do you mean Don?"
"E.C.H.O.E.R.S. External Construction Help Overseeing Excavating Robotic Sentries That's what I called them."
"Bit of a mouthful bro-," Mikey snapped his beak shut at the look that Donatello threw him.
"I spent over a year working on those blueprints," Don uttered looking crestfallen again.
"You seriously expect us to believe that crap?" Raph suddenly spat out. "That Stecker Box Boy stole your invention? You freaking designed it for him didn't you?!"
The hurt was undeniable as Donatello squared up in front of him, huh, he really was that tall wasn't he? Raph shook the thought. "I thought I'd explained myself to you!" the purple masked mutant growled. "But you obviously were not listening! I. Am. Not. Loyal. To. Baxter. Stockman!"
"You wanna fight Poindexter bring it!" Raph snarled rolling his wide shoulders and shoving the fourth turtle back. "Cause I'm freakin' sick of everyone pandering toward you like you're some sorta wounded animal! You can't stand there and tell me you spent most of your life under that mad scientist and not be loyal to him. You can't shake that sorta thing overnight!"
The pain and hurt that then reflected in those chestnut orbs was undeniable. He'd hit the mark it had seemed. "After what that monster did to me? ARE YOU FREAKING INSANE RAPHAEL?!" his incensed voice echoed across every surface as Leo tried to wedge himself between the pair. As their leader tried to hold him back the youth lurched forward over his shoulder and pointed right at him. "If you had even half a brain cell in that thick skull of yours you would put two and two together! What that man did to me may as well have been molestation! And I-," as the final words dropped from his mouth, Raph literally saw the horror fill his face at what he'd obviously never wanted to let slip out. Donatello's eyes abruptly developed a terribly glassy sheen as he glanced across at Mikey and Leo and before either could react the kid bolted.
The door to the lab slammed closed and much to everyone's surprise the bolt clanged shut. Ever since Donatello had come to live with them he had never locked a door behind him. Ever. Raph felt a prickle of apprehension at the nape of his neck.
"Leo, what does mole-station mean?"
Leo looked real uneasy before answering, "I'll, tell you later Mikey," he said haltingly. Raph instinctively knew that he wouldn't. "Do me a favour and get April on the phone. Tell her we need her here urgently."
"You got it bro!"
Mikey immediately hared off and then storm blue eyes levelled with Raph's. "I don't know what Don said to you Raph," Leo began to admonish, no doubt referring to that 'argument' that had happened just over a week ago, "but you crossed a line!"
Raphael bristled and opened his mouth in retaliation when Leo turned his back and went to find a way into the freaky lab. A guttural growl pushed up his throat and with no outlet to release his frustrations the burly turtle let out a nonsensical bellow of anger.
~MNID~
No less than an half an hour later April was in the lair. Raph sat alone in the pit, Mikey having rushed by him to help Leo console Donatello whilst they waited for her arrival. That's how April found him, sullenly slouched on the integral couch feeding Spike a leaf of lettuce not exactly knowing what else he could do. One thing was for sure, there was no way in hell he was going anywhere near that stupid lab.
"Hey Raph, what's the big emergency? Mikey wasn't exactly clear," April called out as she entered the lair. Raph sensed her foot falls stop as she obviously saw him alone in the pit.
"When is he ever?" he grumbled without looking up.
"Something wrong Raph?" the concern in her voice was abundantly clear.
Raph let out a short sigh and shook his head. "Nah, nothing's wrong April," he glanced away from the side and then added. "Nothin's right either though."
He was a little surprised when April slipped onto the sofa next to him, leaning forward to try and capture his reluctant gaze. "What happened Raph?"
Raphael shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably. "I thought you were here for Donatello, why don't ya go talk to him?"
April's brow creased slightly but she didn't back off like he had hoped. "I'm talking to you Raph," she said adamantly. "Something's happened and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that it involves both you and D."
Sharp as a katana this girl was, he really had to hand it to her. That didn't mean he was going to be cooperative though. "I ain't saying nothin' April."
The redhead's frown became more prominent. "Stop blocking me Raph! I know you have issues with D but nothings gonna get resolved unless you drop the tough guy act for two minutes and let someone in!"
Bright green eyes slid in April's direction his face in neutral before sighing long and low. She wasn't going to leave him in peace until he said something to her. "Fine," he grumbled. "Stockjerk was on the TV, those Chompers that tore up Leo's arm were his. Called 'em Mousers. Then Donatello comes in and says that they were actually his design or somethin'-"
"-And I bet you thought D had thought them up for Stockman?"
Yeah, April knew him pretty damn well. "Yeah somethin' like that," he mumbled, looking away.
April sighed herself in exasperation. "Raph, D is your younger brother for goodness sake! It's been nine months now if something was amiss with him surely something would have happened long before now. I'm pretty sure we've all been saying this but give the poor guy a break, he's trying so hard to fit in, why can't you stop making it so much difficult for him?"
Raph felt himself bristle. "Did you all suddenly forget he almost skewered my freaking head to the floor?!"
"I don't think anyone is gonna forget that Raph," April said calmly. "Donnie just got frustrated, a bit like you really," Raph suppressed a growl. No way was that lunatic anything like him. "He mentioned that he thinks that you don't want him here."
Raphael snorted. "Well, he's got that much right."
"Raph!" April shoved his shoulder taking him completely off guard and forcing him to catch out his hand before he fell flat on the couch on top of Spike.
"Hey! Knock it off April!"
"You are impossible Hamato Raphael!" she snapped, looking more livid than he had ever seen her before. "D also told me that he felt that he didn't belong anywhere! I wonder where that idea came from, huh? You tell me."
April bolted up and climbed out of the pit and a painful pang echoed across his chest at her words. "April I-," the girl he considered as a sister turned her disapproving expression upon him and quirked an eyebrow. "Hell, I don't know if I should mention it but, Donatello he, told me something."
"What did he tell you?"
Raph suddenly balked. Something deep down inside told him it really wasn't his place to say. "It doesn't matter," he said quickly.
April's features immediately softened. "D told you something that bothers you, a lot."
It wasn't a question. Raph shrugged his shoulders awkwardly. "He- he might have done," he finally uttered. To tell the truth it was twisting his guts up inside. One side of him shouted that Donatello couldn't be trusted, he was raised by the enemy for most of his life and Raphael was almost sure that a bond like that couldn't be shattered that easily but the otherside whispered a nagging doubt. The word came back to him. Molestation. Geez. What had Stockman actually done to that kid for him to claim such a horrible thing? A thick cloying blanket of doubt weighted heavily upon him and the red ninja honestly didn't know what to think anymore. It left him frustrated and confused and he didn't know who was right anymore….
"I dunno April the whole situation is freaking well upside down."
"What do you mean Raph?"
Seriously? What had they been talking about for the past five minutes? "Everythin's gone south April!" he snapped. "Have you any idea how weird it's been round here for the past year?"
"Weird?" April folded her arms and leant back on her heel, for the briefest moment reminding him of Leo. It only served to fuel his fire.
"For the past eight months we've had a freakin' stranger livin' amongst us!" Raph clambered out of the pit and faced the redhead.
"Donatello is your family Raph!" April snapped back.
"Oh the hell he is!" Raph's ire had been lit and he couldn't quench the flames fast enough. All that pent up frustration that had been festering burst free and retched out before he reign it all back in. "The geek skulks around and hides things under stupid tarps in that freaky lab of his like Frankenstein!"
"D spent thirteen years in a totally different environment to you Raph! Don't you think that you would skulk around cautiously about people you barely knew?"
Raphael bristled. "He hides things in that lab April! Secret projects, that's what he called them!"
"Just because they're secret doesn't mean they're bad Raph! After all the time that he's been here you haven't even tried to get to know him, have you?"
"What are you talkin' about?"
"If you had even bothered to make an effort you'd realise that nothing he does around this place is for himself!" April continued hotly.
"What does that even mean April?" Raph threw his hands up in exasperation as the girl seemed to continue to make no sense.
"It means the projects under those sheets in his lab he made for you lot not himself!"
At this Raph's words tumbled to a halt and a confused scowl descended across his face. If that was true, maybe that was the reason the brainiac didn't want him storming him into the lab that time? Secretive little dork. Still you couldn't blame for being suspicious, right? It did seem a little suspect at the time.
"Still doesn't make sense to me," he grumbled lowly.
The door the lab suddenly jolted open and the turtle in question came stalking down the steps with Leo and Mikey in hot pursuit. Hmmm, this didn't feel good. Before he knew it the lanky teen was right up in his face hands on his cracked plastron as he shoved him back.
There was obvious dampness about the purple mask as the livid but upset expression creased the damaged youth's features. It quirked a pang of uncertainty in his breast but his face still hardened at the unprovoked attack. What the hell had happened in that lab?
*MNID*
A few minutes before…..
GP pulled the bolt shut firmly on his lab's door feeling a combination of empowerment at being able to lock himself in and a rising panic at being behind a bolted door. His breath fluttering in his breast GP hung on the handle, trembling before he found the will to let go and stagger away to his desk.
His limbs practically gave way as he fell into his computer chair as the enormity of what he'd just let slip hit him full force for a second time. GP had never wanted Mikey and Leo to know what had happened to him at the hands of Stockman. He'd only told Raph in a last ditch attempt to get him to try and understand, maybe step back and think about what he was accusing him of. But it seemed Raphael was as distrustful as he was unyielding. It had all been for nothing and now all his brothers knew.
The thought alone filled him with a deep cold dread. He actually felt sick. What must they think of him? A sore knot filled his throat swelling and pushing forwards, causing the moisture in his eyes to brim and tumble down his cheeks against his will. He failed to choke back the sob that bubbled up through him and thrust both hands to his mouth in a vain physical attempt to shove it all down back inside himself. Of course it didn't work and the wretched sound hiccuped out in barely suppressed jolts of anguish.
Then he heard the garage door lift. Darn it! He forgot all about that other entrance!
"Don? You okay?"
GP drew several frantic breaths trying to calm his rattled nerves and raw pulsating emotions. The heels of his gloved palms rapidly scrubbed across his eyes and cheeks to try and erase the wetness that lingered. However the action wasn't fast enough because Leo was beside him in a flash. His automatic response was to swivel his chair away, fists to his face as he tried to wrestle his upset under control.
As much as GP appreciated the concern which he had never been gifted with before there were times where he truly wished to left completely alone. He guessed being a once lost and still damaged soul brought those who cared about him, converging around him like moths to a flame when things went terribly wrong. Was this what it was like to have a family? He couldn't say he didn't like it….
A hand was placed upon his shoulder and the voice of his oldest brother sounded again. "You don't have to say anything Don, I'm, just here if you need me."
Moral support. A rock. A shoulder to cry on. As much as I appreciate that Leo, where were you the first time I was forced to reveal my darkest secret? A minute earlier and I wouldn't have had to tell that insanely suspicious hothead what Stockman did to me. GP thought bitterly and then internally rebuked himself. He shouldn't blame Leo. The guy had been trying to connect to him for the longest time. It was actually that awful day that he finally felt a bond to him. The moment he'd gripped his hand a memory snapped through his mind, he recalled his fingers slipping away from his as chichi pelted through the sewers at top speed. The words he'd said, the apologies he gave, the memory he recalled seemed to touch something deep down inside GP. When Leo's fingers started to release him the grip he gave back was instinctive. This was a big brother that would do absolutely anything for him regardless of his past.
Why was it then that Raphael simply refused to make the effort? GP remembered him, so vividly, those green eyes that stared straight into his as he was carried away. He'd been beating chichi's shoulder, whilst Mikey cried and pointed and Leo desperately attempted to dig in heels to try to drag the giant rat to a stop. How could you forget something like that?
The guy never seemed interested in talking to him or listening for that matter and that was the killer. Did anything actually sink into that brain of his? Because the days following 'that incident' Raphael never came back to question him about it. No, barely gave him a second look up until a few minutes ago and that was for him to play out that distrustful jerk again.
"Leo!" The patter of feet capered in and GP groaned inside. "I called April, said she'd be right over bro."
"Good job Mikey."
GP let a hand slip and wrapped it about hi torso whilst the other rubbed his brow in frustration. He slumped back in his chair, his right foot slipped forward and nudging the old sports bag he taken to keeping hidden under his desk. His chest clenched. He knew nobody had noticed it yet. It had been there for months. Just in case.
Mikey was talking to him now but he never heard a word as his mind stayed solidly focussed on one thing, why Raphael refused to listen to him, understand him. It was like shouting at a brick wall. Pointless. He so desperately wanted this nonsense to stop. Raphael was the burr in his skin that refused to be pulled out constantly causing him aggravation and pain.
The upset at what he had said started to slip back as the real reason swirled unrelentingly in his mind. He wanted rid of this thorn once and for all and there was only two options left open to him.
GP wasn't sure how much time had passed but he heard the hum of an argument beyond his lab door. April's voice was immediately recognisable and as much as he appreciated the help she was obviously trying to give him, this fight was his alone.
The more he thought and brooded the deeper the frown upon his face became. He wanted an answer to that burning question, that continued to scald him like a cracked beaker of boiling acid. It ate away and ate away and before he knew it the tears were back flowing without effort. His heart pounding, every nerve on edge GP abruptly jolted out of the chair and lurched across the lab giving Leo and Mikey a frightful start at his suddenness. The door was yanked open and he fearlessly stalked over to Raphael and gave him the strongest shove to his plastron that he could. It was now or never.
*MNID*
"Hey! Take it easy!" Raph barked as he stumbled back several steps from Donatello's shove.
"Why? Why won't you give me a chance?!"
Raph blinked in confusion. "What the hell are you talkin' about?"
Donatello pounded a fist against his plastron and Raph steadied his stance at the surprising force the hit was delivered with. "You've never listened to me! You've never even given me a chance! What is wrong with you?!"
"D! Stop! Please!" Raph caught sight of April's concerned form just behind the upset mutant. Leo had a hand on her shoulder, obviously holding her back. Why wasn't Leo stopping this?
The fists continued to thump against him but as each one was delivered the power behind them weakened with each proceeding blow. Raph didn't understand why he hadn't stopped the geek yet either. A niggling tick at the back of his mind kept telling him that he had this coming but he shook the thought and as the next blow fell the youth caught Donatello's wrists. The boy yanked back but his physical strength didn't compare to Raphael's. He writhed and struggled ferociously but to no avail, he couldn't free himself from his big brother's restraint.
"I remembered you! I remember! Leo remembered me! Mikey did! Do you? Do you?"
Raph's brow creased. "What the hell kinda question is that?" the red ninja snapped. "How old were we when you got yourself lost? Two? Of course I don't remember you!" it was the truth.
For a fraction of a second the struggling stopped and a bizarre expression of hurt disbelief filled the kid's suddenly welling eyes. Raph's hold loosened slightly and that's when it happened. Donatello pulled back ready to hammer down another rain of blows when April finally evaded Leo's grip and ran to intercede. Before he knew what had happened an olive green arm flew back and knocked the redhead flying into the pit
"April!" Mikey's voice echoed about the lair and something in Raphael snapped. Enough was enough.
He snatched the flailing mutant and pulled him roughly about hitching him tightly into armlock that slipped about the youth's throat. "I knew from the start you had a freaking screw loose!" he shouted unable to stop.
"Let me go!" Donatello writhed.
"Not a frickin' chance ya lunatic! Look what you've done!" he growled. "I promised myself that if you ever hurt April again I'd make you pay for it!"
And just like that Donatello stopped fighting. He saw April rubbing the side of her head, Mikey crouched next to her. The kid whimpered in remorse but the fury in Raph clouded any other rational thought and he was hardly moved by the purple ninja's visible guilt.
"I was startin' to feel sorry for you but then you fly off the handle and do something like this!"
"Raph! Calm down, let him go," Leo attempted to placate him.
"Back off hero boy!" Raphael heard himself barking. "I knew it from the start, never trust a ticking time bomb!"
"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" The voice that boomed across the lair brought everyone to a stand still. "Raphael! Release your brother now!"
The green eyed turtle took a belligerent breath in and finally let Donatello go. He sank to the floor gasping for breath. Splinter was immediately at the boy's side but panting on all fours the young mutant stood before their sensei could offer any help.
His face a tear streaked mess, he rounded on Raph. "That's it! I cannot live under the same roof with someone who will never trust me!" with that he spun on his heel and fled whilst the others called out their protests. Mikey unsurprisingly hared after him.
Raphael stood for a moment feeling oddly stung by the younger turtle's words.
"Raph! What were you thinking?!" April suddenly yelled at him.
"He knocked you into the pit April!" Raph tried to throw up a stubborn front but somehow knew any excuse would only fail. He could almost feel the ground he was standing on crumbling away beneath his feet. He was fighting a losing battle and he was going to feel the brunt of that backlash soon enough.
"It was an accident and you know it Raphael!" April retaliated, a finger literally wagging in his face. "You just seem to be going out of your way to be a complete jackass to Donatello!"
Raph blinked in shock at April's choice of words and wasn't surprised when Master Splinter raised a claw.
"April please, let us not lose ourselves and at the very least remain 'civil' to each other."
Raph could see April visibly biting her tongue as she folded her arms across her chest.
"I am uncertain as what precisely sparked this all off," amber eyes slid directly in Raphael's direction and the red ninja immediately dropped his gaze to his feet. "But I want what they call a 'very fine' explanation for this."
As Raphael struggled to find the right words to say Mikey suddenly pelted back skidding to stop his face a mask of utter panic.
"Dudes! He's gone! D's gone!"
"What do you mean he's gone Mikey?" Leo's voice sounded, unsuccessful in keeping the worry tainting his words.
"He's split bro! He wasn't in the lab he must've ran out the garage door!" The panic was starting to turn his baby brother's eyes glassy and Raph felt a horrible clenching deep in his breast.
Splinter laid a calm hand on Michelangelo's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, "let us not overreact my son. Donatello may still be in the lair. Let us have a thorough search before jumping to conclusions."
"But he said-!"
"Yes I know what he said Michelangelo," Splinter said soothingly. "But let's not lose our heads just yet."
As the family split to search, Raph remained where he stood, instinctively knowing that it was pointless. He knew it and he was pretty sure that Master Splinter knew it too, Donatello was no longer in the lair. The gangly geek was gone. It's what he'd wanted all along right? Why was it then that he had this awful bubbling ache in the pit of his stomach? He clenched and unclenched his large fists repeatedly until the others finally returned and Mikey's initial panic was at last fully justified.
"We have to find him sensei!" Mikey pleaded to their father, boldly grasping his robed arm as he almost begged. "We can't lose him again!" his tone was becoming so plaintive that Raph swore the hyperactive little ninja would burst into tears.
"Yes, I know my son I know," crap. Even Splinter sounded worried.
"We have to split up and search the sewers immediately surrounding the lair," Leo stepped up, looking directly at their father for his approval. The rat nodded in silent agreement, a hand resting atop Mikey's head.
"Michelangelo and I will check to the north, come along my son," Splinter announced ushering the youngest alongside him who made no protest.
"April can you check the southern sewers?"
"You don't have to tell me twice Leo," April said before haring away.
"Raph check the sewers beyond the train tracks."
Raph immediately shook his head, being in almost a half daze when the others had left. "What?! Why?"
Leo was suddenly face to face him, his expression firm and unrelenting. "Because your the reason Donatello ran off!"
"Hey! He's the one that started the fight in the first place!" the hot head snapped back.
"No Raphael, you started this fight, nine months ago," with that Leo stalked off to start his own search.
Grumbling in defiance but knowing that he had no other choice, Raphael turned on his heel and made his way to the turnstiles little knowing that he was going to pay dearly for over half a year of pure bullheaded stubbornness.
*MNID*
Hokey doke! Take a breath if you need too, we've almost hit the half way mark. XD Anyway, I just want to thank everyone for reading, fav'ing, following and commenting on this story and especially recently where I seemed to have a sudden influx of readers! Thank you all! It really makes my day knowing that I have written something that you all enjoy, I appreciate it all, I really, really do! And again, don't be afraid to leave a little comment, I enjoy reading them all, long and short they always give me the boost I need to keep at it!
So, thank you all again and sit tight Chapter 11 is one I think you have all been waiting for! XD